BLEMISHED AND BEAUTIFUL

For all you blemished beauties out there; I know it can be hard to bare your face without makeup and how debilitating life with acne can be.

I’ve been covering up for thirteen years and right now is the best my skin has ever been. Today I have mainly scarring and a manageable amount of spots.

Five years ago, it was a different story. I had painful cysts all over my back and chest to the point that even wearing clothes caused me discomfort. I remember basic every day things being painful: hugging a friend, carrying a bag on my shoulder, sitting back in a chair.

After posting this picture on social media, the response has been overwhelming. When you talk openly about your insecurities, you give people the opportunity to share theirs. And you realise, you’re not alone.

It turns out we are all worried about something!

We live in a visual world; exposed to altered images where imperfections are erased, making clear skin seem like an impossible goal.

The biggest hurdle I have had to overcome with acne, is not the spots themselves but the way it makes me feel.

It was only when I started to appreciate and love my blemished self that my acne stopped controlling everything I did… or more appropriately didn’t do.

Surround yourself with makeup not negativity.

If it wasn’t for good makeup over the last decade, I wouldn’t have had the confidence to achieve everything I have today.

It’s true that some makeup can actually make your skin worse. But, there are some brands of foundations that contain acne defying formulas to treat your blemishes whilst you cover up.

DOUBT

A real turning point for me was in 2015. I was offered my dream job at the most idillic destination on the caribbean sea. I knew it would be life changing… if I let it.

Doubt crept in and I considered declining the position; conscious of how my skin might behave in a hot country.

Self confidence is a super power. Once you start to believe in yourself, magic starts happening.

Thankfully I decided to stop doubting and start doing. If I had to have spots for the rest of my life then so be it. But I could not let it stop me from following my dreams.

This change in mindset was the best gift I have ever given myself.

Since then, I’ve smashed my career goals and created more business opportunities for the future.

I’ve met some truly inspirational, motivating and gifted people and enjoyed experiences with them that I will cherish forever.

And within my first two weeks of my new job, I met my best friend and the most important person in my life. Chris.

Without acne holding me back I have so much to smile about. And although I still have acne, I know that people aren’t looking at my skin. They are looking at how happy I am.

5 thoughts on “BLEMISHED AND BEAUTIFUL”

Anonymous – I know it is probably hard if you feel that way, but hang in there. In high school, I had a huge gap in my teeth, glasses, was short, had acne, never had a real date, and didn’t go to prom. While it was hard at the time, time is forgiving. I am in my late 40’s, STILL have acne only manageable with a certain cleansing routine and still get breakouts, but I’ve also been married for 17 years now to someone who loves me warts and all and we have a beautiful child. There is someone out there for everyone, and just remember to be yourself and the right person will enter your life.

I can for sure relate to that pain being a 28 year old male who still gets acne and has rosatia. Just know that there are people out there who genuinely don’t care and you will find someone who loves you for you. Keep your head up man and keep moving forward. Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.

It’s not just Acne, I have oily skin and I’m 45 and it’s hard to have large pores and feel pretty and being a Portuguese kid with other issues of hair and skin didn’t make it easier. The issue is self loathing. We teach people beauty is determined by what we see and perceive to be pretty. The face is the center of the universe and if we are somehow distorted we are taught to fix the problem, fix the nose, the eyes, the wrinkles. More so for women but also in some men. Beauty is the inexplicable polish of men’s wanting onto women when we look at today’s version of women and who gets the guy. You don’t see someone ugly (as perceived) marrying a Prince or an Actor marrying a heavy set woman or someone who is not “perceived” as pretty. The reason is pretty is not just what we see and what glares back at us. Pretty is now a whole Branding of things and places. Money is a key to nipping and tucking and becoming what you want. If you’re not beautiful you can now pay to be more beautiful, have larger breasts, lose weight faster, fix the scars, fix what you know that for the most part others don’t like about you. So where does that leave us? What fixes this societal issue? What makes people stop calling each other ugly and fat and bullying those into submission to conform to the societal norm? What transforms the world? Well, I can tell you that confidence is a key ingredient but not just because of what you appear to be on the outside, but confidence in education, in thinking, in doing, and in seeing. We must raise children not focused on the beautiful girl to marry and the “in crowd” and the fast expensive cars and the outward appearance on all levels (money, physical, face, life). We must value one another and help one another more, raising compassionate children who care about the world and less about what other people are doing. We need to engage children to talk about what scares them and teach them that people who follow the flock are not leaders and that leaders are not necessarily wealthy. Leaders are those who take a chance and give more than they get. Leaders defy the odds and define a nation and they will give their lives for other. Teach children who we are inside is the defining element of who we are going to be as adults. Teach them that happiness is something we export outward and not something we only want for ourselves. That we can gain nothing wonderful by being completely encapsulated in our own worlds without allowing for the world around us to be shaped by our desire to better the world. Be a leader, fight for change, encourage differences, create a little chaos, deliver on the only truth that their needs to be “Each one of us is our own light, our own leader, our own guardian and our own source of courage.” And within us all there is the capacity for compassion and change. When we learn to do more for others than we do for ourselves and that we take nothing with us, than maybe, just maybe, our pockets will be lined with kindness instead of the need to feel wealthy from exterior elements. Our heart will be filled with hope instead of fear and our world will sleep better as we learn to live a “one united” and not “one divided.” I hope that for everyone and this once ugly feeling, short and chubby girl, lives her whole life to make sure that people are always taken care of. Not because I have to but because that is who I was born to be and those are the values I instill in those around me. Happy Friday everyone, go be brave and do good things… and if you have the means, go change the world like you know you can……

I used to swim a lot as a child, never used moisturizers on my face but lotion on my skin elsewhere all over ( Mostly Avon( when they never used to test on animals) or Jergens). I feel the chlorine and salt water is what kept me from developing acne or pimples. Into my teens, late twenties, i did try a natural scrubber( St Ives) on my face but not every day and maybe just for 6 months as needed ( afternoon baths) and after used ponds facial creme ( cold cream) at nights. During the day I used Johnson baby lotion to moisturize my face but not every day. I washed my face every morning but did not use a moisturizer after or any soap on my face. If my face was really oily i would use regular soap ( Jergens or Palmolive). It was very rare for me to use soap on my face. I also did not wear any foundation makeup only eyeliner, lipstick, sometimes mascara, eyeshadow. i exercised a lot too. Long walks during the day for 20 mins then rest then 20 mins again ( Midday), tennis and badminton alternatively for 3 days a week 1-2 hrs in the afternoon (between 4:30-600)when I was 14-18 yrs. Swimming was done once a week during my early teen yrs and walking for 20 mins every day. During my 20s I swam 2 to 3 times a week ( evenings), played badminton 2 to 3 times week ( afternoons). I also lived in a tropical country at the time. I also consumed at least 4 shots of rum ( rum and coke) on fridays or saturdays ( evenings) when I was in my 20s.Hope this helps.